It’s official: Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh to run in Burnaby South byelection

In a rally early this afternoon, federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh officially announced he will be running in the upcoming by-election for the Metro Vancouver riding of Burnaby South.

Despite being elected the leader of the NDP in October of 2017, Singh has been without a seat in the House of Commons, but that could change if he is elected into riding, which is currently being represented by NDP MP Kennedy Stewart.

Stewart is leaving the riding to run for the mayor of Vancouver in this October’s civic election.

“I’m running because people were betrayed by Trudeau on electoral reform,” said Singh today.

“I’m running because instead of spending billions of public dollars on a leaky 65-year-old pipeline, we should be investing in clean energy jobs that are here for today’s workers and the next generation.”

The former criminal defence lawyer entered Ontario’s provincial politics in 2011 when he was elected MLA of the riding of Bramalea-Gore-Malton. He was the first turban-wearing Sikh to sit in Ontario’s legislature.

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